Devot. The Pilgrims

Dear Friends,

I hope you had a blessed Thanksgiving and were able to reflect and see God's abundant blessings in your life.

I pray the devot. below is a blessing as well.   Lord bless you and yours this weekend!

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November 26, 2015 The Pilgrims “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.” (1 Peter 1:1)   These “strangers” to whom Peter wrote his two epistles were actually “pilgrims.” He used the same Greek word (parepidemos) in 1 Peter 2:11: “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts.” The word means a resident foreigner, and its only other New Testament usage is in Hebrews 11:13, speaking of the ancient patriarchs who “confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.”   We give honor today to the American “pilgrims,” as they called themselves (thinking of these very verses), who left their homelands in order better to serve God in a foreign land. The “pilgrims” to whom Peter was writing likewise had been “scattered abroad” for their faith (note Acts 8:4).   For that matter, every born-again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is really just a pilgrim here on Earth, ambassadors for Christ in a foreign land. “For our conversation is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20). That is, we are citizens of heaven (the Greek word translated “conversation” in this verse is politeuma, meaning “a community” or “citizenship”), and are here only for a time to serve our Lord until He calls us home.   And while we are here, we may endure many trials and sorrows just as did those Massachusetts pilgrims. But He nevertheless supplies our needs—just as He did for them—and we ought to abound in thanksgiving, as they did.   Thus, Christians all over the world have cause for thanksgiving every day. Since we are “enriched in every thing,” through our Savior, this “causeth through us thanksgiving to God” (2 Corinthians 9:11), and we should be “abounding therein with thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:7). HMM      | Print this article Unsubscribe | Subscribe

Devot. A Psalm for All Ages

Dear Friends,

 

I hope you had a good weekend!  Thanksgiving is this week!  

So much is on my heart that I want to share with you in a few words.  

 

 First of all the devot. today is taken from Psalm 100 and it shows us 3 things that we can be thankful when it comes to Who our God is, His attributes. 

 

My pastor actually did this Psalm as his sermon on Sunday and studied these 3 things as well.  

The message was such a blessing to my heart that I'm  so glad  found a short replication of it for you.

 

My pastor asked us a question and asked us to fill in the blank.  "God, I thank you for___."  

 

I've been asking my young students last week and this week, "What are 2 things that you are extremely thankful to God for?  When you think of kids in other countries what are 2 things that you could say 'Wow!  I am thankful to God for this'! " (As an idea, this may be a good topic to open up before praying for Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday).

The answers I received from my students ranged from family, education, water and heat.  One of my 9 year boys in Sunday School said something like this, "I think we should be thankful for Jesus saving us!  I don't think it's right to not thank Him for dying for us."  This is from a child who had not seen the inside of a church before last year, didn't know what Jesus had done for Him and has only received the Lord as His Savor in the last year.   We could learn a lot from this child!

 

Psalm 100 reminds us that God made us, we didn't make ourselves. It stands to reason then that everything comes from Him as well.   There are verses in Isaiah that say God Himself gave us breath in our bodies to live.  If we couldn't live without God giving us air, we can't take credit for all the blessings we have been given.

I pray that each of us takes time every day this week as we are getting ready for our day or driving to work to think of all that God has given to us, as undeserving as we are, as sinners saved by His undeserved Grace and to thank Him from our hearts for it.   Just as we like to be thanked when we do something for someone, don't you think God likes to hear 'Thank You' as well?

Below is the devot. and a song that is a favorite of my family's.  

 

From my family to yours, a personal wish for you and your family to have a very blessed, Christ focused Thanksgiving!

Devot. http://www.icr.org/article/psalm-for-all-ages (Used by permission.   Taken from http://www.icr.org/)   Song:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZefhHmJg6E

Devot. A Good Soldier of Jesus Christ

Dear Friends,

I hope you have had a good week!  This is another Veteran's Day devot.  

What does it mean to be a 'good soldier for Jesus' and why did God choose to use the analogy of a soldier to describe a faithful, consistent Christian? 

I hope the devot. teaches you  something new with this thought in mind.   God bless and keep you and yours this weekend! 

Devot. http://www.icr.org/article/21344   (Used by permission.   Taken from http://www.icr.org/#)

Devot. In the Lord's Army

Dear Friends,

I pray you had a blessed weekend! 

Since this week is Vetrens's Day, I wanted to give you a devot. specifically on that holiday, but with a Christian perspective as well.     I think I found a good one that I pray is insightful and a blessing.

If you or your loved ones have served or are currently serving in any "law enforcement/military" capacity, THANK YOU from a grateful American.   You or your loved ones  have had the boldness/courage to do what I have not.  God blessings and protection upon you and yours.

I pray you all have a safe, healthy and blessed week! 

 Devot. http://www.icr.org/article/lords-army  (Used by permission.   Taken http://www.icr.org/#)

Devot. Being Thankful for Grace

Dear Friends,

I hope you had a blessed week!

A friend pointing out something from the devot. last week that I thought should be mentioned.

While Halloween has some very nasty, spiritually scary roots, it is an ideal time to share Jesus with our neighbors.

As my pastor reminded us 2 weeks ago, "You will be rubbing shoulders and running into folks you normally may not,

so take the opportunity and give them a Gospel tract, invite them to church, ask them if they are sure of Heaven."

Next year I may find some devots. on how to share Jesus with folks at this time of year:)

Since we are moving now into Thanksgiving season, I am going to do a series on things we can be thankful for.

I've heard folks say that if we could make a list of all our blessings, they would far out number the things that aren't perfect in our lives.  In addition to the devot. I have included a song link of Who we should be thankful to.

I pray you and yours have a blessed, safe and healthy weekend!

 

Devot. http://www.icr.org/article/17969  (Used by permission.   Taken from http://www.icr.org/)  

 

Song:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7YON4WqOQM

 

Devot. Halloween-It's History/Reformation Day

Dear Friends,

I pray you had a blessed weekend! 

The devot for today is a little food for thought concerning Halloween and also the significance October 31st, how the day itself, played in a role church history.

The devot. below is from a favorite Christian site of mine and the young lady who wrote it gets to the heart of matter in few words. (I would encourage you that if you have young ladies in your life between teen years and up into their 30's,  encourage them to frequent this site as it offers a great deal of encouragement on many topics.)

Anyway, I want you all to seriously consider what the devot. says and pray over the wisdom given.   It is how my parents raised me and I am extremely grateful for it.

Someone asked me last week if I would be dressing up for Halloween.   I adamantly answered no, but also saw an opportunity to explain myself.

My parents celebrated Halloween with my brothers, but when I came along they found out the history/roots of the day and decided not to do it with me.   I remember through as a kid

coming home from a friend's house where they were dressing up for the night.   I came home that night, dressed in all white and proudly proclaimed that I was an angel.  My mom

said something that profoundly made a positive impression in my mind.  She said, "Honey, just because you dress as something 'good' doesn't mean that you aren't celebrating what the day

represents."   It stuck in my mind and I went and changed.  

Now some of you may think, "You poor thing," but trust me if you read the history behind costumes (which this devot. shares) you will see that my mom was spiritually protecting me.  I also want to add

that I have never felt that I was missing anything.   While we do while we celebrate the day itself, as the Lord said in Psalm 118:24 that every day He has made  and we should rejoice and be glad in it,

we do not celebrate it as the world has made it.

A bit of history:  My pastor on Sunday said that as Christians, Oct. 31st is a prime day to share out faith.   This year is the 500th anniversary of "Reformation Day."  The day in which Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses, "proposals" to the door of a church in Wittenburg Germany declaring "these are the things in which you, the church,  are spiritually wrong and what God has truly said His Word."  

This was the beginning of the Gospel and the truth of faith through Jesus alone being shared with ordinary people as never before.  It was a turning point in the history of the church.   In the spiritual sense, Isaiah 9:2 could apply this day, "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined."

Here is how we are going to do the devot. this week.  I have included 2 shot devots. below (Parts 1 and 2) that are a few paragraphs each, the 5 most important truths that were in Luther's 95 proposals (and they are ground solely in Scripture), and a very brief history of Reformation Day.

I pray these information is spiritual food for thought, you learn something important, and the Lord uses it in your life.   May He bless and keep you and yours this week!

Devot.
Part 1: http://www.liesyoungwomenbelieve.com/something-other-than-candy-to-chew-on/  (Used by permission.  Taken from http://www.liesyoungwomenbelieve.com/ )

Part 2: http://www.liesyoungwomenbelieve.com/two-more-reasons-to-pass-on-halloween/ (Used by permission.  Taken from http://www.liesyoungwomenbelieve.com/)

5 points of Luther's proposals: http://www.epm.org/blog/2010/Jun/15/five-central-teachings-protestant-reformation

History:  http://www.sundayschoollessons.com/refday.htm

Devot. Certain Hope

Dear Friends,

I hope you had a good weekend!  Here is a devot that I pray is a blessing and encouragement.   Lord keep you and yours safe this week!   Devot. below. used by permission and taken from http://www.icr.org/

    

 

      

October 3, 2015 Certain Hope “Who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil.” (Hebrews 6:18-19)   The noun “hope,” when used in the New Testament, does not imply a wishful attitude but rather a joyous and confident expectation in something promised which will certainly come to pass—in most cases, something good. Note especially the few times it is used with a descriptive adjective.   First, in a stirring benediction, Paul tells us that our good hope comes from both “our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father” (2 Thessalonians 2:16). Furthermore, such hope is given to us along with “everlasting consolation,” or comfort, which shall last forever. The Father and Son have done this “through grace” which brings eternal salvation.   Next, we are taught to be “looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). This blessed hope can be none other than “our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope” (1 Timothy 1:1). He will certainly return, and this return will be glorious.   Furthermore, we have a hope which is actively alive. “The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3). We have been (past tense) born again from the dead just as surely as Christ has been raised from the dead, for His resurrection accomplished it.   Our hope, under grace, is guaranteed by Jesus Christ: “A better hope . . . by the which we draw nigh unto God” (Hebrews 7:19) than that which was possible under law. In fact, it is a glorious hope (2 Corinthians 3:11-12) by comparison. This kind of hope can be “an anchor of the soul.” JDM